Happy 5th Birthday Birchbox! | September 2015

Thursday, 17 September 2015

This month was Birchboxs' 5th Birthday! It's crazy to think that Birchbox has been going for 5 years- seeing as i've only just subscribed, but i'm not surprised it has because it's such a great beauty box. If you're not already familiar with Birchbox (which i'm sure most of you are) it's a monthly subscription box which costs £10 + £2.95pp per month. Within the box is 5 deluxe samples from well known brands and also some from up and coming brands that are less familiar.

As September was a special month for Birchbox, subscribers got to choose from two boxes which were beautifully designed by Birchbox subscribers themselves. I went for the 'Up Up and Away' box which was decorated with pretty pastel coloured balloons. Inside the box were 5 products all from brands in the USA (the birthplace of Birchbox) and one extra special bonus item!

I've used this blotting stick a few times now and I really like it. I don't usually have very oily skin but I do like rubbing this on my T-Zone to prevent any potential oily breakouts. It's a very silky texture and once its on you can't notice it on your skin at all. This product is supposed to mattify the skin for 6 hours and can be reapplied on top of makeup if any oil is beginning to shine through. The only problem is that the stick wears down quite quicky- i've only used this sample size about 3 times but because it so creamy in formulation it literally melts when it touches your skin and i've already used about a quarter of it!

This facial exfoliator buffs away dead skin cells leaving smooth, hydrated skin. It contains lots of microbeads which feel quite abrasive to me on the skin, even though it's supposed to be a gentle polish. This product is suitable for all skin types and should be massaged into damp skin every other day.

I've never heard of this brand before, but its great to see another cruelty free brand featured in a Birchbox. This product is a lightweight conditioner which can be used as a treatment for 1-3 minutes and rinsed out or used as a leave in conditioner. It contains 17 certified-organic ingredients including; Grapefruit, Neroli, Soy Protein, Wheat Amino Acids and Coconut Oil. These ingredients help to soften hair, make fine hair appear thicker due to the soy protein, nourish dry scalp using the Neroli extract and detangles due to the wheat amino acids. This product has a pleasant citrus smell- it reminds me of Lemon Meringue Pie! and can be used on colour treated hair as well. I'm excited to try this product because it contains some great ingredients and I'm interested to know whether it lives up to all of its claims.

This divine smelling body wash leaves skin feeling supple and nourished. The product lathers really well even when not much is used and gives off a lovely sweet aroma. This is another brand I don't know much about but its sold exclusively on the Birchbox website.

The shade of this lip/cheek product is a really bright peach/coral colour, which is my favourite lip colour to wear usually! When applied to the cheeks, the product blends into the skin well, however the colour goes quite sheer so I don't think it really works as a blush. The formula dries matte on the lips, but doesn't feel dry, so overall i'm very impressed with this product.

This brush was the bonus item in this months box and is available in three colours; blue, green and peach. I would have preferred to receive either the mint green or peach brush but the blue is still nice. This brush looks very similar to a Tangle Teezer, however the bristles on the Birchbrush are firmer and feel harder on the scalp compared to a Tangle Teezer. The brush is nice and small which means its handy to keep in your bag, but it definitely won't replace my trusted Tangle Teezer!

Overall, I quite liked this months box but considering it was a Birthday box I would have thought they might have included more luxurious products rather then things like a body wash and facial wash. The box is worth £21.32 in total, which isn't that great considering the cost of the box is £12.95.